Netanyahu's Likud Accuses Qatar, Turkey Of Election Interference Aimed At 'Islamizing Israel'

Via The Cradle

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Qatar and Turkey of financing the unprecedented success achieved by Palestinian-Israeli parties in the election this week, with his Likud party warning of an "Islamization of Israel" on Thursday.

An election interference probe has reportedly concluded. "After it was revealed that foreign entities tried to take over the Knesset, it is clear that no Zionist party should cooperate with Raam and the Joint List, replace the Knesset speaker through votes bought for cash, and form a government that is dangerous to Israel," Likud said.

Attempts by Qatar and Turkiye to “influence” the vote are “an attack on democracy whose purpose is to lead to a foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel, and the overthrow of right-wing rule in order to lead to retreat and defeat of the [Israeli army] in all arenas – and primarily Iran.”

Likud believes Qatar and Turkiye paid “get-out-the-vote” groups, according to Channel 12. “The channels used to ostensibly send funds to the organizations closely resemble those used to send money for terrorism in the past,” Times of Israel wrote. 

Earlier, Israel’s Central Elections Committee chair Justice Noam Sohlberg requested an official Shin Bet investigation into the matter. 

“Serious suspicions have been brought to my attention regarding improper influence on the elections – exerted through funding provided by foreign entities acting against Israeli interests,” Sohlberg said.

“While I cannot attest to the substance of these suspicions, it is my view that – given they involve foreign entities – there is an obligation to investigate them thoroughly,” he added. 

He said the Shin Bet must do “everything in your power” to probe the suspicions. “Only in this way can we ensure public trust in the electoral process and the integrity of the democratic procedure.”

Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Zionist Opposition bloc opposed to Netanyahu, warned against political actors exploiting the probe in order to delay the swearing-in of the Knesset.

Polls closed at 10:00 pm on October 27. Netanyahu is leading the opposition parties by several points, but neither side is able to achieve a 61-seat majority because no side is willing to partner with Palestinian-Israeli political factions. 

Only one Israeli opposition party, led by Yair Golan, has called for a joining of forces.

“We have no future here if we don’t stop being afraid. And if we don’t stop with the racism. We must no longer accept Netanyahu’s racist division between Jewish votes and Arab votes,” Golan said. 

Israel’s voter turnout reached its highest in decades. The Palestinian-Israeli parties specifically won the most seats in an Israeli election ever. 

Palestinian communities in the 1948 territories witnessed massive voting lines. Settlers were deployed to sabotage their votes.

Al Jazeera noted that the Palestinian-Israeli parties, including Raam and Taal, have achieved “a remarkable and historic rise in the representation of Palestinians inside Israel.”